Retiring is the end goal for many Americans, but what happens when your planning falls short? According to gobankingrates.com, “The 2018 Retirement Savings survey found that 42 percent of Americans have less than $10,000 saved. If they don’t boost their savings, they’ll likely retire broke because that’s not enough to cover a year’s worth of expenses. On average, adults 65 and older spend almost $46,000 a year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.”

So, what do you do when your retirement savings fall short? We gathered some of the most popular ideas that could help make your retirement years golden:

What to do if you fall behind on retirement savings: find a part-time job

Working longer can help significantly if you’re not where you need to be when it’s time to retire. In fact, this is what cbsnews.com has to say about working longer to try an reach your retirement goal: 

• Your Social Security income will increase significantly — by 8 percent for each year beyond your full retirement age that you start benefits.
• Your savings have more years to grow with investment returns.
• Your savings need to last for a shorter number of years in retirement.

Part-time jobs are fairly easy to come by and can help add cash in your pocket. Pick a job where you work 3 days a week, so you don’t have to pull your earnings from your retirement fund to live on. Staying within your means is imperative as the more you spend outside of what you’ve saved to retire on, the harder it is to get back in a financially positive position.

What to do if you fall behind on retirement savings: DIY your income

We know this sounds weird but find a side hustle that works for you. If you’re talented in woodworking, build beautiful pieces to sell to friends, family and the rest of the social media world. This type of work helps if you’re in a position where getting around by car is not the best available option or if working from home is a necessity. Same goes for knitting clothes. Many moms of all ages love homemade clothes for their children, this is especially popular for newborns. Use your trade skills to create your own income and slow down whenever you like or need. Another great side income is painting custom items, canvases, etc. Creative retirees get the chance to do what they love, sell their creations and earn additional income.

What to do if you fall behind on retirement savings: restructure your spending

If you’re retired on a certain lump sum amount but are in a different financial situation now due to emergency bills, unexpected costs, etc., it’s time to restructure your spending habits. Budget with your new earnings (if any) and figure out how to live within your new means. Try to keep credit card debt down in the process as well to help protect your credit score from taking any unnecessary dips. you can build a healthy budget right from your fingertips. There’s all sort of apps to help people of all different financial situations to build a successful budget. You can also read more about why building a budget is essential here.